Sorry that last post got published twice.
I like this part of the world - the Shires. It's green and lush and pleasant without feeling too remote and unfriendly. The old man and his daughter who own the hall were staying in are very pleasant and I had a chat with them yesterday as they were painting one of the windows. It must be quite a task keeping this place in order - it's huge.
On Monday we ventured to Trentham Monkey Forest where there is a large group of Barbary Macaques roaming in z huge forest enclosure. It was lovely to see them in their family groups acting very naturally, playing and eating and sleeping. It was easy to imagine that the purpose of the park was actually to allow the monkeys to see and study all the different sizes and shapes of humans as they file past with their cameras. We were two species equally interested in each other.
After a light lunch of sausage and chips at the slightly underwhelming Banana Cafe, we briefly bonded with my sister and my family who had also come along, then went to Stoke on Trent. We were all singing the Stoke on Trent song from Dick and Dom in Da Bungalow, as sung by next door's cat. You had to be there...
In Stoke, we visited Forbidden Planet where I was very tempted to buy aclife size cardboard cutout of Marilyn Monroe, but decided against it. We had a quick spin around Thr Potteries shops and I found a great DVD and cd shop that had a very good and well priced World Cinema section. I bought a Fellini box set including Fred and Ginger, Orchestra Rehearsal and The Ship Sailed On.
Returning to the house, we had a quick game of pool with the kids, and found some baby frogs in the games room. Weird.
Yesterday was another lovely sunny day and it was supposedly our designated lazy day. However we still managed to avoid rest by going into Market Drayton again. We were wanting to have a ride on z canal boat, but there had been a breach in the canal last week and it would take a month to fix so there was no canal activity round here. They suggested Llanogglyn instead where there is a great aquaduct. Maybe later.
One of the 'finds' of the holiday is Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe. It has shelf after shelf of jars and bars and packets and boxes of traditional and hard to find sweets. It was there that I found several bars of Old Jamaica chocolate. I haven't seen that in many years. It's my dads favourite chocolate - dark chocolate with rum and raisins that was discontinued maybe 20 years ago. I bought up several bars. I wonder if dad will remember? I certainly did - what memories that chocolate brought flooding back as I had some with a cuppa back at the house. Mmmmm.
I took mum out for a drive in the beetle. I am really pleased with the new beetle - it looks fantastic. It's also great to drive a beetle that will go over 70. I am just chuffed to bits with it. Very very happy to have a car so like my last one but with all of the bits that didn't work properly fixed and no rust. Brilliant.
Late afternoon yesterday we played games with the kids on the side lawn in the sun, then I sat and read some more Goodfellas with a glass of cava. A great moment of tranquility and rest. Lots of wasps round here though!
Last night we all went out for a Chinese meal and if was lovely. Oliver loves spare ribs. I had crispy duck. Delicious. Thanks mum - that was her treat!
In the evening I finished watching the Frank Zappa Mothers of Invention DVD Graham Chambers got me for my birthday - which was excellent - and I watched A Dirty Shame by John Waters. A strange film that I very much enjoyed, starring Tracey Ullman, Chris Izaac and Johnny Knoxville. Silly naughty funny and strange. That's entertainment.
And to round it all off Bea is up for eviction in Big Brother - result!
So far this morning - Wednesday - I have watched some DVD extras on bed and got dressed all by myself. And it's only 10 o'clock! Wahoo!
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